Wondering what you all think the best saw to use to break down 3/4 ply, other than a table saw. Ryoba Saw, or another hand saw? I hate tablesaws personally, but if power is the “only way” would a high quality circular saw be the best choice?Thanks

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18 replies so far

I use a circular saw and an edge guide. I can’t get a full sheet into my basement shop, so I have to cut every sheet down in my driveway. I lay out 2×4’s underneath to support both sides of the cut. I just break down to rough dimensions so I can handle the pieces more safely on my table saw.

A track saw (Festool, Dewalt or Makita) is also a good option, but costs more. Or you could get a panel saw, if you have the room and the money.

I have a small shop so I break up plywood quite a lot outside on saw horses. I then bring the parts inside and cut them again on the TS to make them accurate, However, if you use a good strait edge to guide your circular saw carefully you can cut quite accurately and not use the TS. You can even refine this some what more by leaving a small amount for the router to trim again using the strait edge as a guide along with a ball bearing bit or just an edge guide for the router and a strait bit. your strait edges could be just a good strait piece of would with c clamps to clamp them onto the plywood.

I use Japanese saws.Here’s a video of a device that I use when cutting sheet goods with a kataba.I bought mine many years ago from Lee Valley, but they no longer carry this model.They are still made by the Topman Company of Japan.

I use the foam board on the floor with a cutting guide and a circ saw. I find it a heck of a lot easier to cut when the whole sheet is supported, even the offcut, rather than working out how to support it up in the air.

I use a regular 1” thick blue foamboard. All you need to do is make sure your blade height is only cutting 1/4” or so into the foam. That’s an easy adjustment. It’s cheap, safe, easy and effective. About the only “trick” I have is to cut off a couple inches on length and width of the board so the clamps from my straight edge can be placed.

A circular saw is a good way to break down sheet goods. It is messy and god-awful noisy, but it does work. For the handtool user, it is a much less expensive way to deal with a large volume of sheet goods without going out and buying a tablesaw. For smaller jobs with sheet goods, use your handsaws. I just finished a shelving project under my basement stairway that I used OSB on. I had the 4’x8’ sheets cut in half for ease of movement and transportation and cut everything else in the shop with my panel saw. Worked out great. No noise, no mess, and never a safety concern.

One warning about having sheet goods cut at the big boxes where you buy them: Last time I did that, their panel saw was off enough to be a significant problem. So you might want to ask them when they checked/adjusted the saw for squareness before letting them cut. Also, check the lower track where they rest the panel to make sure there’s no trash to affect the position of the panel in it, which would also affect accuracy. And make sure you check them before working with them at home.